The “What Now?” Workbook: Its potential utility following life-changing events

Abstract

Background.: Following a life-changing event, such as a serious illness, people can experience a disruption of meaning and identity, making it difficult to move forward. The “What Now?” Workbook was developed to enable exploration of the personal meanings of specific occupations to facilitate future planning. Purpose.: The aim of this study was to investigate the utility—usability and usefulness—of the workbook in practice. Method.: Five occupational therapists trialled the workbook at a specialist cancer centre in England. Qualitative data were gathered via a focus group, an interview, and questionnaires. The data were subject to a realist thematic analysis. Findings.: The findings showed the workbook to have actual and potential utility for service users in this setting, as perceived by their occupational therapists, by helping them to explore occupations, their loss, meanings, and future possibilities as part of an occupational therapy intervention. Implications.: The workbook appears to offer a structured yet flexible way to explore personal meanings of occupations, enabling service users to gain insights and move forward following a life-changing illness.